Subterranean Masquerade

A highly original and ambitious project founded by one Tomer Pink,
Subterranean Masquerade debuted in 2004 with a two-track, 17-minute
EP, and a year later came out with Suspended Animation Dreams,
both on the highly respected The End Records.
Labelling this band as metal would be misleading -- the music here
derives from a multitude of influences, metal being one of them, but
also progressive rock and even some jazz can be found here, with
liberal use of strings and piano as well as horns and other assorted
eclectic instruments.
It might seem strange that a band with such diverse influences employ
a death vocalist, but it works -- Paul Kuhr (who also fronts
Novembers Doom) provides his effective growls, but his is by no means the only
vocals to be found, with assorted choirs and clean male and female
guests also making their presence felt.
There really is no soundalike here --
if one is pressed to name a similar
band (and this is a reach), one might mention
Maudlin Of The Well,
though by no means are these really similar bands.
Tomer Pink is on to something here, as
Suspended Animation Dreams is a rich, involved, and diverse listen,
even if there is little in the way of conventional metal.
Very well done.